Wauwatosa Will See $24 Million In Coronavirus Recovery Funds

WAUWATOSA, WI - Wauwatosa will receive around $24 million in federal coronavirus relief funds.

The U.S. Treasury Department released an allotment on May 10 for how much money American cities and counties can expect to receive from the $350 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. The Treasury has also given out details on how the money can be used to respond to pandemic response needs, missing revenue for local governments and support communities hit the hardest by COVID-19.

John Ruggini, Finance Director for the City of Wauwatosa, told Patch that the city will hire a consultant to gauge public need. Once the city's priorities with funds are finalized and ranked, money will go to those in the community that need it. So far no city plans for the incoming funds are set in stone. The impact of the pandemic isn't as extreme in Wauwatosa as other places, said Ruggini.

The Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds was established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. According to a breakdown released last week, Milwaukee County will receive $183 million and the City of Milwaukee will receive $394 million.

The U.S. Treasury has shared some details on how funds can possibly be used:

• Support public health response by funding COVID-19 mitigation efforts, covering medical expenses and for public health and safety staff
• Replace public sector revenue loss to ensure the continuity of vital government services by filling budget gaps
• Address negative economic impacts by delivering assistance to workers and families through support to unemployed workers, rehiring staff and giving aid to households.
• Offering premium pay for essential workers both directly and through grants to third-party employers. This would also be used to help low- and moderate-income employees who face disproportional health risks and compensation.
• Improvements to water and sewer infrastructure, such as building or upgrading facilities and distribution systems.